Comments on: What to bring to a picnic?

Question: What to bring to a picnic?

meta.mark — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 09:41:06 -0800

What should I bring to a picnic, in terms of food, for my girlfriend and I?

By: JohnnyGunn

JohnnyGunn — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 09:44:56 -0800

Wine. Cheese. Crackers.

By: box

box — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 09:49:16 -0800

Fruit. Sandwiches.

By: thetenthstory

thetenthstory — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 09:52:08 -0800

Slice the cheese in advance unless its a spread. Apples with the cheese.

By: thinkingwoman

thinkingwoman — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 09:54:12 -0800

good bread, grapes, apples, cheese.

By: jozxyqk

jozxyqk — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 09:55:32 -0800

Not food, but bring an umbrella. Just in case.

By: mumkin

mumkin — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 09:56:10 -0800

(...my girlfriend and me)

A red checked tablecloth, wicker basket, cold fried chicken, thermos of soup, tub o' potato salad. Or some kind of deli sesame noodle affair... hell, I could list all of the delicious things that it's possible to eat outside, but what do you like?

What are the constraints we're talking about here? I gather from previous questions that you're in Cupertino, California, so it's not too cold there, but not exactly summer either. I also have the impression that you're in high school, so public consumption of wine is probably out, yes? Do you or the girlfriend have any kind of dietary restrictions? Where are you thinking of going? Can we assume that you will have a grill at the picnic site or must everything be eaten as it's brought in? Do you own a picnic basket (with plates, silverware, etc), or does this need to travel in a cooler? What's the budgetary constraint? Will you be getting to your destination by car, bicycle, or public transportation? I feel like this is IAmIndecisivePleaseThinkForMeFilter.

By: jdroth

jdroth — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 10:22:39 -0800

Seriously, though, this question is a little open-ended. What kind of food do you like? How fancy do you want to get? What's your budget? Where are you going? Is it a special occasion?

By: box

box — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 10:27:56 -0800

Do either of you have any dietary restrictions (ethical, religious, allergic, etc.)?

By: christinetheslp

christinetheslp — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 10:41:40 -0800

Wet wipes. The last time my husband and I went on a picnic I spilled some juice from fruit salad on my hands, and I hated the sticky-finger feeling. I suppose this isn't as necessary if you're picnicking by a body of water.

Also, yeah, give us some guidelines for food here!

By: infinitywaltz

infinitywaltz — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 10:47:44 -0800

Good sandwiches; we're not talking bologna and mayonnaise on white bread here, but maybe a good deli ham with gourmet mustard, a reasonably sharp cheese, and fresh mixed greens on a crusty roll, possibly cut in half to make it easier to eat outside. Potato chips (I like the fancy kettle kind). A thermos full of iced tea, presuming the above poster is correct in guessing you too young to legally drink wine (although I encourage everyone to drink a little wine with meals, regardless of age, doing it in public on a picnic is probably not such a good idea). For dessert, cookies or brownies (bake them yourself if you really want to impress the hell out of your girlfriend).

By: 6:1

6:1 — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 10:49:06 -0800

A loaf of chewy bread (french loaf) and Brie, a knife to spread the brie on the bread.

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 10:54:13 -0800

[a few comments removed, please feel free to re-add without the lolblowjob stuff, thanks]

By: melissa may

melissa may — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 11:13:28 -0800

The best picnics I have been part of are simple. Everything tastes better outside, especially if you've hiked a bit, and the easier the preparation and eating, the better. Buy the most perfect fruit you can find. This is a good time of year for apples and pears and pomegranates. Also, get some cheese -- go to Whole Foods or somewhere else you can taste samples and ask what goes well with the fruit you've selected.

If you really want to impress her and have the kitchen tools and the time, make your own bread. This post tells you how and it could not be a simpler process -- a child can do it. She will fall out when she finds out you made it. Otherwise, just buy a loaf of crusty bread at a good bakery.

Have lots of cider and water on hand and a thermos with coffee or tea in case it's chilly. You don't need more than that. Honest. Have a great time.

By: ethnomethodologist

ethnomethodologist — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 11:18:15 -0800

"for my girlfriend and ME," not "I."

Cold fried chicken. Awesome part of a pic-a-nic.

By: mumkin

mumkin — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 11:23:47 -0800

(reposting)
You tagged this question with "relationship," but other than the fact that you will be eating this picnic with your girlfriend, is it truly a relationship-related question? Does this picnic need to enhance your relationship in some way? Impress the lass with your culinary / health-minded / packing / load-bearing / romantic / other skills? Do you need to break some tough news to her? What would you like the experience to be?

Fill-in the blank: Afterwards, I would like her to think "Wow, that meta.mark... until today's picnic I never appreciated how __________ he is!"

Whatever the answers to the need-more-info questions, I encourage you to bring as few containers as possible. Lugging all the jars from the sandwich-making shelf of your refrigerator, along with a loaf of bread, various vegetables and bags of deli meats is often a bad idea. Constructing a good sandwich in the field is doable, but ask yourself whether the circumstances call for on-site sammy building or if bringing already made sandwiches would suffice for the atmosphere you wish to create. Whatever that atmosphere may be.

By: amtho

amtho — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 11:46:18 -0800

Consider how long the picnic food will sit outside before you eat it. Potato salad, at least normal (non-vegan) potato salad, won't taste that good if it's out for hours.

By: amtho

amtho — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 11:54:31 -0800

Also - don't forget that you'll want to clean your hands and pack up used utensils afterward. Bring some mechanism for this. Also, don't forget a trash bag, if you won't be near existing trash facilities!

Notice the weather. If it's cool at all, bring an extra sweater. Bonus if you bring an extra sweater for _her_. If the ground will be damp, make sure you have something impervious to sit on. Consider bringing some subtle insect repellent if it's summer where you are.

She might find it charming if you bring a camera to capture a photo of you both on your picnic.

If you're where it's autumn right now, a thermos of warm something (tea?) could be soooo delightful after you've been sitting a while.

A light dessert - two little squares, or two truffles, of the most fanciest chocolate you can find. Or two petits-fours from a bakery (be careful how you pack anything cake-like as it will easily get squashed, and you'll want to pack dessert on the bottom since you eat it last - and it makes for a nicer surprise).

I've heard that sushi was originally fancy picnic food in Japan; I always try to bring simple sushi rolls on my picnics now.

By: klangklangston

klangklangston — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 12:10:05 -0800

Well, here's what I'd take for a picnic, though you gotta remember that me an' my girlfriend are vegetarians.

Fresh pesto, fresh tomatoes (heirloom if you can find 'em, it's kinda at the end of the season here in Southern California), fresh mozzarella, fresh baby greens;

A soft cheese, usually whatever's in season and looks tasty at the store—Whole Foods usually has good cheese workers, who can give you a recommendation, which goes well with some stoneground wheat crackers and a bit of fruit.

Young wines are practically made for picnics, since I like to concentrate on bright and fresh tastes.

Basically, you want as many things that you can eat easily with your hands and that combine well together cold.

By: Sara Anne

Sara Anne — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 15:04:10 -0800

For dessert bring a bar of good chocolate. Compact and delicious.

By: twistofrhyme

twistofrhyme — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 19:46:04 -0800

for food, i try to get together a mix of flavours:
salty = brie, olives, proscuitto
sweet = apples / pears and a knife to cut them, grapes, fresh figs
plain = carr's water crackers or baguette
drinks = red wine (+corkscrew), elderflower presse, or iced tea, plus a big bottle of water
thirst-quenching fruit for later = cubed fresh pineapple, watermelon wedges, strawberries, clementines, etc
also, maybe a blanket, some wet wipes, a frisbee, warm enough layers, bug spray, sunscreen, shades, a good book.
fun, picnic!

By: muscat

muscat — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:33:54 -0800

wine

By: chickaboo

chickaboo — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:37:11 -0800

Chicken Marbella -- make it with chicken tenderloin pieces (cooked for 30 mins or less) and serve in whole wheat pitas http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001175chicken_marbella.php

Crackers and cheese
grapes to nibble on. Maybe some olives.

A potato salad prepared with a dijon vinaigrette instead of mayo won't spoil.

By: mumkin

mumkin — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 15:12:38 -0800

So, how was the picnic, meta.mark?